My Voice

Several years ago I got this tattoo on the top of my foot. It's Chinese for "voice", (yes, that's actually what it means. I did my research!) and I still absolutely love it. When I got it, voice to me was singing. Music is a part of my soul and not a day goes by that I don't sing. Sometimes it's lullabies before bed; sometimes it's Adele while I'm in the shower. There was a time when it was the National Anthem at a high school basketball game or the circus in front of thousands of people. My audience may be smaller now, but it's infinitely more important.

Since starting this blog a little over 4 years ago, my voice has become so much more than just singing. I've found that I can reach people with my words, words that I've written myself, words that go deeper into my soul than songs written by other people ever could. Sharing my words has been difficult at times. It's hard to put myself out there knowing that I might be rejected. But doing so has helped me in so many ways. I've given myself a venue where I can voice my opinions, say the things I wanted to say to someone but didn't. Saying things out loud (or writing them down in this case) forces me to know where I stand and to stand by my convictions. It forces me to acknowledge my weaknesses since they are out there for the world to see. Writing this blog has given my soul a voice.

And that voice is ever changing. Sometimes it's funny or heartwarming, but sometimes it's political or angry. Sometimes I'm a mom or housewife yet other times I am just a 28 year old trying to find my place in the world. I hope my voice continues to change, and I hope that I continue to have an audience to hear it. I'm amazed on a regular basis to hear that people are reading my blog. People I've never met read every post, people who I went to high school with but never really spoke to are emailing me saying they appreciate my perspective, even if they don't always agree with me. I've connected and reconnected with people, all because I've chosen to speak - and it's an amazing feeling. Thank you to everyone who continues to listen; for giving me a reason for my voice to be heard.